Sun editorial:

Mass transit mania

More people are using public transportation even with falling gasoline prices

Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2008 | 2:05 a.m.

With the price of gasoline plummeting, one might expect people to simply jump in their cars and not use other forms of transportation. After all, increased air pollution and traffic congestion and continued reliance on foreign crude oil are small prices to pay for the ability to guzzle gas. Right?

Fortunately, not everyone is so narrow-minded. A survey released Monday by the American Public Transportation Association in Washington found a 6.5 percent increase in the use of public transportation in this country from July through September over the same period a year ago even as gas prices began to fall.

That was a startling revelation because conventional wisdom dictates that such ridership would decline when it becomes less expensive to drive a car. But the association, whose members serve more than 90 percent of the mass transit passengers in the United States and Canada, found ridership increases of 8.5 percent for streetcars and trolleys, 7.2 percent for buses, 6.3 percent for commuter rail and 5.2 percent for subways and elevated trains.

“The fact that public transit ridership surged while gas prices and highway travel declined shows a growing demand for more bus and rail services,” association President William Millar said.

The ridership bug extended to Southern Nevada, where the Regional Transportation Commission served 6.15 million bus riders in October, the most ever for a single month. The commission is also on pace to exceed 65 million passengers this year, another record.

“People are finding that bus transit is an economical way to commute,” commission spokeswoman Tracy Bower said.

Although some of the increase in ridership is likely attributable to the tough economic times, these statistics also show more Americans have begun to incorporate mass transit into their lifestyles. That’s good news for those of us who are tired of breathing dirty air and paying for imported oil.

The Obama administration should keep this data in mind as it seeks to beef up the nation’s infrastructure. As made obvious by increasing ridership demands, heavier investment in mass transit should be a high priority.

Discussion: 3 comments so far…

By KDR81

12/10/08 at 9:09 a.m.

Suggest removal

In most cities mass transit ridership is either not up at all or up only slightly, but not as a percentage of the population.

In most cities mass transit competes with itself. Bus vs light rail.
By jfnance32

12/10/08 at 9:48 a.m.

Suggest removal

The Sun board should set a good example and take the bus to work and back home each day.
By citizen

12/10/08 at 9:43 p.m.

Suggest removal

Light rail is what real cities have, the Las Vegas transit system (CAT) is a joke. Buses on already crowded streets, not on time, 99% of the routes have no bus pull outs and cause more traffic disruptions than good.